- Spencer Coursen's Safety Made Simple – Daily Safety Tip
- Posts
- Your Rideshare Red Zone: The Safest Seat to Stay One Step Ahead
Your Rideshare Red Zone: The Safest Seat to Stay One Step Ahead
Your daily protective insight for smarter, safer living.
Spencer Coursen
July 15, 2025
Every time you hop into a rideshare, you’re trusting a stranger to get you from point A to Point B. But having trust in a service provider doesn’t mean you should stop participating in your protection.
Most people (yes, even me) will often slide into the back seat of a ride-share without a second thought, but the reality is: not all back seats are equal…
When it comes to ensuring your safety and protecting your privacy, where you choose to sit can make a big difference.
If you’ve ever felt uneasy or questioned your safety while in the back of a ride-share, here’s something you should know:
The safest place to sit is directly behind the driver.
Sitting behind the driver could give you the protective advantage you need if something feels off
Here’s why this seat gives you an advantage:
Self-Preservation Instinct: Drivers are hardwired to protect their side first. Being behind the driver means you’re on the safest side of the car.
Out of View: When you sit behind the driver, it’s harder to see you clearly in the rear-view mirror, which gives you more privacy.
Harder to Reach: Sitting behind the driver also makes it more difficult for them to physically reach you than if you were sitting on the passenger side.
Here are a few other ride-share safety tips you can put into practice today:
✔️ Double-check the license plate, the make, the model, and the driver’s name before you get in.
✔️ Always confirm the driver’s name before you give them yours. Ask, “What’s your name?” rather than, “You’re here for Spencer?”
✔️ Maintain situational awareness of your driver’s behavior. Occasional glances are normal; repeated staring through the rearview mirror is not. When in doubt, get out.
✔️ Trust your gut. If a driver’s actions make you uncomfortable — whether it’s how they’re driving or how they’re watching you — update your trip to a nearby public space. I’ve even said, “You can just pull over and drop me off right here.” No explanation required.
✔️ Know where you are at all times. Pay attention to identifiable landmarks, obvious intersections, and points of interest so that you can direct someone to find you; share your location with a trusted friend.
✔️ Being polite is a courtesy. Protecting yourself is a priority. Your willingness to defend yourself should always be stronger than your unwillingness to offend another.
If your driver ever made or makes you feel unsafe, ride-share companies urge their customers to report any kind of inappropriate interactions or dangerous behaviors.
To report your concern via Uber: https://help.uber.com/riders/article/my-drivers-behavior-made-me-feel-unsafe----?nodeId=afeee3c5-c152-46dc-bae9-e10c10902cb1
To report your concern via Lyft: https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/all/requests/loginprompt?ticket_form_id=724707
Live smart. Stay safe.
Did you find this helpful? Why not share it with a friend? You never know when one small shift in awareness could help keep them safe, too.
Were you sent this from a friend? Consider subscribing so that you can learn my tips and tricks to live your very best life the safest way possible.
